Dealing with Bad Reviews

I love this comic strip. It's so true, isn't it?



While the majority of the reviews for my debut novel, BOUND, have been very positive, there have been a handful of readers who, for whatever reason, didn't like my book. And you know what?  That's okay.



I've read a lot lately about authors who have commented on bad reviews, complaining that the review wasn't fair or that the reader's opinion was harsh and mean. In return, the entire reviewing community has lashed out at the author, starting a frenzy of author/reviewer bashing throughout the blogesphere.



It makes me cringe.



Nothing good can possibly come from such a confrontation and it only gives both the author and the reviewer a bad reputation. Don't get me wrong, I've been in their shoes, wanting to express my disappointment in how the reviewer chose to, not just express their opinion about my book, but the negative way in which they chose to do it. Taking personal jabs at another individual for ANY reason is wrong. But what good would it do for me to comment on it? It's not going to change their mind. It would only make ME look bad and that's not what I want either.



So I put on my big girl panties, thicken my skin and move on to my next book. There's no way I'm going to please every reader, but the ones who do like my work will always be there to cheer me on. I write for them.



How do you deal with bad reviews?  Have you ever had someone attack you personally? How did you handle it?